GTX-A is finally here

The first segment of the Great Train eXpress (GTX) officially opened on March 30, 2024 – three years later than initially planned in 2017. While the launch marks a significant achievement, it has been tempered by several unmet expectations and disappointing ridership numbers.

Overview of the GTX-A Line

At Kojects, we’ve covered the GTX extensively over the years. The GTX-A Line is planned to become an 82.1 km long high-speed commuter line with 11 stations, stretching from Paju to Dongtan (Hwaseong). It operates at speeds between 170 to 180 km/h, with eight-car trains capable of carrying up to 1,062 passengers at full capacity

What happened to the Samseong GTX Station?

This first segment currently operates from Suseo to Dongtan, with stops in Seongnam and Guseong. Initially, Samseong GTX Station was supposed to be part of this segment, but several factors delayed the construction at COEX. A key issue was the initial plan to include a KTX station at Samseong, which the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport eventually scrapped due to low economic feasibility. Additional delays were caused by new workweek regulations and prolonged budget discussions between ministries. Building such a massive and complex station in the heart of Gangnam is not an easy endeavor!

According to the Korea National Railway, Samseong Station won’t be added to the network before April 2028. This means other segments of the GTX-A Line will open, and trains will pass through Samseong Station without stopping.

Travel from Suseo to Dongtan on a GTX-A

The journey from Suseo to Dongtan takes just 21 minutes, with stops in Seongnam and Guseong (this station opened on June 29). It’s supposed to be three times faster than other public transportation options along the same route.

The GTX-A trains run from 5:30 am to 00:27 am from Dongtan Station, though they appear to run irregularly, sometimes with a frequency of 14 minutes, other times with gaps of up to 33 minutes. This is the schedule as of August 11, 2024:

The basic fare for the GTX-A is 3,200 KRW. Like other public transport in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, it operates on a distance-based fare system, with 250 KRW added every 5 km. A journey from Suseo to Dongtan costs 4,450 KRW, about a third of the price of an SRT train ride along the same route, which costs 7,400 KRW.

Is the GTX-A living up to its expectations?

The most pressing issue is that the GTX-A is not even close to meeting its expected ridership numbers. After 100 days of operation, the GTX-A has attracted only a third of the anticipated passengers, with just 7,800 people using the service daily.

A significant problem is that the GTX-A Line currently terminates at Suseo Station. While the GTX-A is much faster than other public transport options, most passengers don’t end their journeys at Suseo; their destinations are elsewhere in Seoul. The extension to Samseong Station is crucial, as it would provide direct connections to Line 2 and city buses operating in Gangnam. The connection to Seoul Station may be even more vital, allowing transfers to Lines 1 and 4, as well as numerous city buses operating in Gangbuk (Seoul north of the Han river).

The next section, from Paju to Seoul Station, is scheduled to open on 28 December 2024. Trial runs are already underway on that section, so everything seems to be on track. The segment from Seoul Station to Suseo (excluding Samseong Station) is expected to be completed by September 2026. It will be interesting to see how the Paju-Seoul Station section performs compared to the Suseo-Dongtan segment. However, the true potential of the GTX-A Line will only be realized once all stations are connected, and trains run more frequently than they do now.